Pence heads to Olympics with stern message for North Korea
WASHINGTON/SEOUL (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President Mike Pence was en route to Asia on Tuesday on a trip that takes him to the Winter Olympics in South Korea where his itinerary underlines Washington’s stance that North Korea is trying to use the Games fo…
Orchestral maneuvers: North Korean Olympics ferry tacks past sanctions
SEOUL/MUKHO PORT (Reuters) – A North Korean ferry arrived in South Korea on Tuesday carrying a 140-strong orchestra to perform during the Winter Olympics this week, taking advantage of a rare sanctions exemption from Seoul 16 years after its previous v…
We are 95 percent of the way to a coalition deal, German SPD says
BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives and the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) are around 95 percent of the way to reaching a coalition deal, an SPD negotiator said on Tuesday, adding, however, the deal would not be a “ma…
Israeli forces kill Palestinian gunman blamed for West Bank ambush
YAMOUN, West Bank (Reuters) – Israeli forces killed a Palestinian gunman in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, saying he was the head of a militant cell responsible for an ambush in which a Jewish settler was shot dead.
U.N. demands cessation of Syria hostilities, says situation ‘extreme’
BEIRUT (Reuters) – U.N. representatives in Syria called on Tuesday for an immediate cessation of hostilities lasting at least month throughout Syria to allow aid deliveries and evacuations of the sick and wounded.
Zimbabwe’s Tsvangirai critically ill in South Africa: party source
HARARE (Reuters) – Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, is critically ill in a South African hospital and his supporters should “brace for the worst”, a party source with knowledge of his condition said on Tuesday.
Philippines’ Duterte reneges on China deal, bans foreign research ships
MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has banned all foreign scientific research off the country’s Pacific coast and told the navy to chase away unauthorized vessels, despite earlier allowing Chinese oceanographers to operate there.
One Turkish soldier killed, five wounded in attack in northwest Syria: army
ISTANBUL (Reuters) – One Turkish soldier was killed and five were wounded on Monday in a rocket and mortar attack by militants as the Turkish forces were setting up a military post in northwest Syria, Turkey’s armed forces said on Tuesday.
North Korean Olympics ferry tacks past sanctions with karaoke, ice cream on board
SEOUL (Reuters) – A North Korean ferry is set to arrive in South Korea on Tuesday carrying a 140-strong orchestra to perform at the Winter Olympics this week, taking advantage of a rare sanctions exemption from Seoul 16 years after its previous visit.
Thai rights news conference called off after police warning
BANGKOK (Reuters) – A news conference by a Thai rights group was called off on Tuesday following a police warning not to hold the event or risk violating a junta ban on public gatherings.
